1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to data processing and, more particularly, to an apparatus including a touch panel and a method.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that touch panel operations are performed on operation panels of various devices such as copying machines. In various copying machines including touch panels, for example, intuitive user interfaces are provided by enabling users to make various settings relating to copying such as a paper feed tray, variable magnification, the number of copies, layout, and double-sided printing by directly performing touch operations on items displayed on the touch panels. However, there has been a problem in that settings that are not intended by a user are made when part of the user's arm, body, or clothes has touched the touch panel while the machine is operating.
Therefore, an image forming apparatus having a lock function by which changing of various settings is temporarily inhibited for a predetermined period of time until copying has been completed has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-226802).
The image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-226802 is able to suppress erroneous inputs after a copying process begins, but before the copying process begins, that is, for example, while parameters for the copying process are being set, it is difficult to suppress erroneous inputs.
In addition, although a dedicated lock button for inhibiting and enabling screen inputs is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-226802, erroneous inputs might be made when the dedicated lock button is arranged on a touch panel. In addition, a certain type of touch panel detects a touch operation, for example, on the basis of a change in capacitance. Such a touch panel might erroneously detect a touch operation when a document to be read charged with static electricity has come into contact with the touch panel and then the charge of static electricity has decreased.